She was expecting a ‘ticker-tape’ parade for her crew, not this, and certainly not a space station in orbit. A lot does seem to have happened in their absence.
It will take four hours for the drive’s capacitors to charge up, thus, John slows down the ship. During this time, Andrew and Joe view sensory data of Earth, as news of their imminent arrival spreads throughout the ship.
The few hours seem to drag on for an eternity, which allows the bridge crew to take a break. George, in his familiar bodysuit, stays vigilantly connected to a terminal, ready for anything. All their fears seem to be unfounded though. They pass the lunar orbit without as much as a peep from Earth. That in itself, feels peculiar to the bridge crew.
Cindy waits until John has the ship on station keeping before she finally sends the long-awaited message throughout the ship’s internal speakers. “We are home people! Let us never forget those that died, making this day possible.”
The crew cheers loudly, the noise reverberates everywhere. Cindy wears a thin smile as she gazes at the view of the space station. She wonders, we have made it home, but is this the home we remember, or something else?
Chapter One - Two Years Earlier
Location:
Nevada Desert
Nevada
BOOM!
The explosion is unimaginable, even beyond anything nuclear. The powerful shock wave radiates in all directions. Clouds are violently whisked away, as if by some invisible force. Mere seconds later, an immense fireball shoots outward. The rising cloud of dust partially conceals a vast crater, which is all that remains of a secret government facility. The energies unleashed create ground waves of soil that roll out across the desert landscape. The nearby hardened runway, designed for the heaviest of aircraft, buckles and breaks as the forces at work seem unstoppable. A massive transport plane, its paint burned off by the initial blast, bounces and dances as the ground beneath it moves like ripples on a pond. Its long wings bend and flex, touching the ground on either side as it violently rocks back and forth. The scorched plane finally comes to rest, and in testimony to its sturdy construction, remains intact, even with its wheels buried deep in the ruined concrete.
Further out, the perimeter fence which encompasses the entire area lifts up, and then drops back down, as the ground waves expand ever outward. The undulations eventually diminish, yet still topple surviving cacti and rock formations, alike. The rising dust cloud rivals that of Krakatau, while the effects of the blast continue to radiate in all directions, including downward.
Location:
Parkfield
California
Robert McKnight yawns and rests his butt on the edge of the table behind him. He gazes at his feet while he contemplates, these seismologists have the dreariest job in the world. He glances around the tiny shack, his eyes falling on the myriad of equipment that seems to be haphazardly placed.
He sighs, and then asks listlessly, “So once again. What is it I am looking at?” He does not even try concealing his boredom.
The bespectacled man before him is short to start with, his being hunched over some obscure apparatus only adds to their height difference. Without so much as an upward glance, he replies. “You wanted to come up here and do a report on Earthquakes, well here you are!”
Robert rolls his eyes, my boss wanted me to come here, I am so going to… He stops his musings and frowns as movement catches his eyes.
“Hey, that needle thing just moved!” Robert’s voice is tinged with excitement, maybe I will get to report something after all. His blue eyes sparkle at the idea.
The short man stands, wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans, and then walks to the machine in question. Robert walks over to it with him, his athletic frame is a stark contrast to the chubby figure next to him. When he was in his twenties, everyone thought he would end up playing baseball, football, or even basketball, but at thirty-five all those dreams have long since faded. What the hell’s this guy’s name? He is almost embarrassed at having forgotten, almost.
The needle is moving rapidly now, leaving long sweeping marks on the paper as it swings back and forth. The short man looks up at Robert, his eyes blink rapidly behind his thick glasses. He splutters, “The epicenter is all wrong. This isn’t from any fault line I know of.”
Robert switches on his mini recorder as he clears his mind, and begins his interview, “What is it we are witnessing here today?”
The short man does not reply, but instead gulps as he points at the now wildly moving needle.
Robert leans over to peer at the marks, they are almost meaningless to him. He turns back, catches the man’s name tag, and then asks, “Okay, Ben. What exactly does this mean?”
Ben stares back incredulously for a moment, then ignoring Robert, takes out his phone. With shaky fingers, he quickly taps in several numbers. “Hello, this is Ben, we have a magnitude nine happening right now.”
Ben pauses while he listens, and then forcefully interjects. “No! This was triggered by an event east of the fault line.”
Robert gazes around the small room, his attention is drawn to the needle once again. It is swinging even more wildly than before. All of a sudden, the floor begins to shake, sending vibrations up his legs. Ben stares downward in awe as he hangs up, then puts his phone in his pocket.
“We have to get out of here, now!” Ben states, his voice is filled with fear.
Robert looks up sharply and says, “So the floors not supposed to do that?”
The men make eye contact, then dash for the doorway, and out into a world gone haywire. The distant sky is full of dust, as if from some volcanic eruption. Nearby, people are fleeing in panic. Cars race off down the road at high speed, all the while, an odd rumbling noise emanates from beneath their feet. It sounds almost like a freight train going by.
Robert stops Ben, and asks. “Why is everyone leaving?”
Ben stares back with disbelieving eyes. “This whole site is right on top of a major fault line.” He gulps as he points at the distant dust cloud. “And whatever caused that, triggered a series of category nine quakes.”
Robert looks down as the soil jiggles and dances around his unsteady feet. Ben suddenly grabs Robert, then shouts out over the growing din. “There has never been a series of quakes like this, not down the entire line. Not ever!”
Robert gulps as he finally grasps what is going on. He shouts to the shorter man, “Good luck!” And then sprints for his car as fast as he can on the shaky ground.
Ben makes it to his car just as a new realization dawns on him. He shouts over the deafening grinding noises to Robert, fear in his voice. “Don’t go to LA, it will be worse there! Go inland.”
Ben gets into his car, and even though everything is shaking violently, he manages to get the key into the ignition.
Robert barely catches Ben’s words over the horrendous noise. He starts his own car, then slams his foot on the accelerator, the tires screech as he peels away. With everything moving, staying on the road is quite a difficult task. Avoiding the elevated roadways, he heads east as fast and as best as he can. The enormous dust cloud hovers in the distance casting a dark shadow below it. Whatever that instinct is that drives reporters toward danger begins to take shape in Robert. He ponders, the largest quakes in recorded history, and that dust cloud is the source. Checking the passenger seat, he is pleased to find the gear he needs is there. He turns on the radio, selects a local news channel, and then heads toward the expanding dust cloud.
Location:
White House
Washington DC
The President stands before an assembly of men and women. He gazes at the many familiar faces, then nods in acknowledgment as he makes eye contact. His face is a stern mask while he focuses on the task ahead. With his second term in office nearing its half way point, he has made many friends. Reflecting upon the last few years, he sighs inwardly, I have had to contend with an alien invasion, oh, visitation, he corrects himself, and now I have to handle this me
ss!
The many television cameras pointing at him are a stark reminder of the importance of this day. His eyes glance at the teleprompter as genuine tears begin to well up in his eyes. A crouched man holds up three fingers, then two, then one. A second later he points to the President as he silently mouths. “You’re on”.
The President stares at the camera for a moment, and then begins his speech. “To the citizens of America, I ask that we come together in unity and offer our hopes and prayers to all those affected this day. May we continue these prayers for the days to come. I have declared a state of emergency for the entire state of California. In addition, everyone west of the San Andreas Fault line is to be evacuated east until we can determine the region’s geological stability. This will be a monumental task, but one we must undertake.”
He gulps when his eyes catch the next words, “Many of you already know of today’s dreadful catastrophe. A series of magnitude nine earthquakes occurred along the San Andreas Fault line.” He puts a hand to his mouth as he tries to convey the enormity of the event. “The entire coastal shelf has moved, in places, up to three hundred feet toward the Pacific Ocean. The resulting loss of life is incalculable, with numerous people still unaccounted for. The ensuing tsunamis have devastated many islands in the Pacific, including Hawaii, where the death toll is also unknown. The effects have been felt as far away as Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, where localized flooding has been reported.”
The President wipes beads of sweat from his forehead, then continues, “We must remain strong as we assess the damage and rebuild. Many coastal areas are now underwater, while others may yet succumb to the numerous aftershocks plaguing the region. I implore everyone to stay away from the many disaster areas, relief crews are on the way. God bless America.”
The President stares blankly at the camera as the operator shuts it off. Putting a hand to his forehead again, he tries to stave off the headache that is forming. He shifts his gaze to the many advisors that fill the room. With a resolute voice, he speaks up, “Send them everything we have, National Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, everything!”
Closing his eyes, he reflects on the enormity of the calamity. A year’s research, billions of dollars spent, and what did I do? Cause the greatest disaster this nation has ever known. He rubs his eyes with his hands, stress threatening to break him.
Gazing at the table once more, he picks up a handful of photos that rest on it. A damn reporter got to the site first. The series of photographs display a massive crater, a military transport with its paint scorched and peeling away, and finally the buckled and damaged perimeter fence. What to do with that inquisitive man? Lock him up? Suddenly an idea comes to mind, one that makes him smile.
Location:
KGB Headquarters
Minsk, Russia
Pavel sits passively, his arms folded, while Igor stomps around the majestic room working himself into an angry frenzy. The dozen other key members of the Russian government sit quietly around the large wooden table. Pavel sighs then stands, has Igor put on even more weight? He ponders as he stares at the shorter, pudgy man.
Gathering his thoughts Pavel speaks up, a little timidly at first, but gathers strength as his conviction resonates. “Igor, we have no way of knowing what happened at the American facility, so it’s not possible to predict if the same event will occur at our own.”
Igor stares back, his eyes blaze as his efforts to calm himself fail. He blurts out. “Had we listened to the Americans, we would be set back as much as them. Fortunately, we had the wisdom to conduct our own research into the alien technologies.”
Igor places his hands on his hips, then lifts his chin in defiance. Pavel has to concede the point, it was Igor’s idea to duplicate the research being done in Nevada.
The voice that booms across the room surprises them all. “The question is gentlemen; do we share what we know?” The Russian President stands in the doorway, his eyes casually look over everyone present. His signature heavy cloak rests upon his shoulders.
Igor does not give anyone else a chance to speak, “Mister President, we do not!”
Pavel’s eyebrows quickly raise, not so much in surprise at the words, but more so at the insolent tone behind them. He quickly interjects, “What Igor means…” he stops talking when the President lifts a hand in the air.
The Russian leader strides into the room, his voice full of conviction. “We will hand over ALL of our research to the Americans,” his eyes rove over the men in the room defiantly, “understood?”
Igor blanches at the blunt statement, no discussion, no debate?
The President smiles at Igor’s obvious distress, then in a softer tone continues. “Gentlemen, the old days are long gone, I have been keeping America appraised, as they have been keeping me informed of their progress.” It has been quite fortunate that Demetri and Barbara have been inspecting each other’s facilities all this time. The thought comes unbidden.
Everyone in the room is stunned into silence. Finally, as the seconds drag on, Pavel speaks. While his tone is soft, his eyes pierce Igor’s. “We will do as you instruct, Mister President.”
Igor turns in disgust, then looks out through the window before him. Days like today make him miss his old home in the Ukraine. While his mind wanders, his eyes are drawn to the heavy drapes, then down to the floor with its abundant collection of exquisite Persian rugs. The paintings along the walls herald various points in Russia’s history.
Igor’s mind races while his eyes wander. After a few moments, he turns around to face the President, then gives a slight bow and says. “I understand now, and apologize for my behavior.”
Pavel gulps, Igor apologizing, now I have seen it all. His eyes narrow as he considers Igor’s actions. What’s he up to?
The President grins again as he addresses the assembled men once more. “I also took the liberty of assuming a unanimous vote in regards to sending assistance to the Americans.”
While the words sink into the minds of those in the room, the President departs. Igor grins as he thinks. We are returning to the old ways, he just doesn’t know it.
Pavel is as perplexed by Igor’s reaction as he is by the President’s arbitrary decisions. Sending aid is one thing, the research, well that should have been discussed.
Location:
Parliament House
Canberra, Australia
The speaker of the house stands, places his hands behind his back, and then waits for silence. The one hundred forty-five people in the room consist of members of both major political parties, with a smattering of independents being present. As the speaker stands, the chatter in the room diminishes.
In a solemn tone, the speaker addresses the assembly. “The disaster in America is unprecedented, thus they are going to need all the assistance they can get. There are a number of pressing issues. The first and foremost is the utter destruction of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant. The entire area is now underwater. The destroyed facility is spewing forth vast amounts of radioactive isotopes into the surrounding ocean. The Russians and Japanese both have experience in dealing with nuclear disasters, and we will be transporting teams from both nations to the effected site. In addition...”
The Speaker is interrupted by a man who stands up and points at him while shaking his head. The man’s voice booms across the room as he confidently questions the speaker. He moves his hands in a rather animated fashion as he adds flourish to his statement. “Why not just let America handle its own mess, or better yet, just let the other two countries handle the clean up? We have little experience with radiation disasters and should be focusing on our own domestic needs, instead of helping everyone else with their problems.”
Many people nod in agreement, quiet mutterings becoming an audible buzz. The self-righteous man gazes around the room, his painted-on smile and smug expression clearly displaying his disdain for sending aid. Finally, after an exaggerated wave at his rowdy colleagues, he bows then sits down.
/> The Speaker of the House is no stranger to challenges, and today he was expecting a confrontation like this. He grins back wolfishly, and his expression becomes hard. His reply carries with it an uncanny venom. “We will stand by our allies, no matter the cost!” He waves a warning finger at the assemblage, “And I tell you, this is just the beginning.”
The speaker’s eyes blaze with energy as he continues. His voice resounds around the room powerfully, “The Prime Minister has empowered me to also inform you that we will now bear the full burden of all costs associated with construction facility in the Outback. Also...” He pauses for maximum effect, while at the same time glaring at any would be opposition. All who meet his gaze wither.
Once he has everyone’s undivided attention, he continues with his speech. “We will be committing the alien space shuttle and the bodysuits to the American relief efforts, in addition to providing food, and medical supplies.”
The room explodes in an uproar as members of both parties and the independents stand and bellow at the Speaker and each other. The speaker bangs his gavel on the table while shouting, “Order in the house. Order!” Even he cannot interrupt the pandemonium.
Location:
Kangbashi District
China
The two men carefully steer the sheet of gravity plating between them. Its power source is a small energy cell attached to one side. Upon this plating rests a small round metallic object, about the size of a newborn’s head. The energy cell’s power fluctuates, only for a split second, but it is enough. The round object jostles out of its cradle and rolls. The pair frantically attempts to adjust the load, but they are too late and the metallic ball rolls off the edge and falls.
Initiation Series: Series One Compilation (Terran Chronicles) Page 69
